The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-03


| able. Vehicles are not permitted within the track
i which encrcles the camp, and at the various ap
| proaches are posted the sign mo smoking Al
| lowed on the grounds" Yesterday quite large
number OF people from the city visited the
| grounds and attended the services, which, by
| the way, do not differ materially from the ser
doctrine preached. The meetings yes
/ terday all for worship 1t will
| perhaps aid the reader to understan some pas
/ sages in the discourses below to know that this
sect does not hold 20 the immortality of the soul
| in the ordinary significance of the term. AT
death they believe that the soul or body, which
are considered identical, disintegrates by nat
ura processes. while the spirit vital principle
| returns to God, whence it came. At the final
| judgment those who have attained purity OF life
through faith are raised to immortality in spirit
ual form. The wicked are not brought to judg.
| ment before God. but are disposed of by Christ
| ard the angels. The Judgment of the righteous.
| life, conducted by God. and hav6 been in
progress since 1874, the ending Of definite pro-
phetic time.
In the morning Elder R. A. Underwood
preached from the text. SEARCH me. 0 God, and
know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts
and see il there be any wicked way in me and
lead me in the way everlastine" Psalms exxxix
%, "a. He said: 1T is evident that David's
head was touched, because to ask that ones
heart be searched is evldeuce of longing to
taste and experience the love of Christ. This
fact should come homo to people. The
investigative judgment that is the judgement of
the righteous believed to be in progress in
heaven since 1874 in reference to the of
the living is liable to come at any time. We
ought to breathe this pray er of David's. Search
me. 0 God, and know my heart and
then God and the angels will come
near and show wickedness But whether
this prayer be breathed or not, the Lord is
searching His people, and therefore the people
presented to God in the last days will be perfect
free from sin; and the seal of God will be placed
on that class only. What, then. is Gods stand
ard2 In Revelations a mighty angel is spoken
of who declares that time shall be no longer;
p,oclaims the Judgment. This angel bade John
measure the temple of God with reed which
we understand to be the law Of God, and the
measurements of the temple is the inves-
in reference to the service of
Christ in the sanctuary in heaven This reed or
standard Is laid by the side of our character in
this investigation. and must be in harmony with
il. Again a company of saints is brought to
view in Revelations as living in the last days.
and keeping the commandments of God and the
faith of Jesus We people come far short
of being perfect in this respect. That people, to
be In harmony with the reed, or law of God, not
raise it as standard. 1t will be that company
who able to stand firm to the end, and say as
the sign of the Son of Man appears in
1o asss foo bn,s T Su, God we have
not be taken by surprise. But some will be
overtaken thief. When / was younger I
thought the advent was the most solemn period
mentioned in the Bible. but now do not The
investieative judgment taking place. in
which the eternal fate of ell the righteous, living
and dead. is beirg decided is more solemn than
will be the coming of Chist to gather his saints.
Thousands do not and will not know of this
judgment, but will be absorbed in their daily
vocations, even after the end of this judgment
is reached We are truly living in solemn
times, and God desires to bring His people
up to higher standard. and
he has not been unmindful that we need more
patience The trouble is, that party had no
patience to lose. 1t was providence of God to
show them that they had none. in answer to
their prayer to be tried. To ask God to show
Us our hearts. or ask Him that our hearts may be
searched, il asking for something that will come
very close When Job was tried he did not
When the devil tries us he always attacks our
weakest point Is. When God trios He comes
to US where we think we the strongest. and
keeps testing and testing This Is seen in
the Of both David and Peter. A man in
the dark thinks himself in pretty good condition.
Take the case OF Isaiah who has clean and
perfect record as any prophet in the Bible, but
he tells US that he saw angels standing before
God covering their faces and their feet. crying
holy! holyl holy! Did he feel clean in such COM
pany2 No, indeed, for he cried: Woe is me-
or. as the marginal reading, is Il am undone'
When an electric light is far off you ID. but
you stand in the darkness, but as you draw
near you SEQ yourself clearly So it is with US,
the more we see our own defects; and when GOO
Is doing the most for rs we feel the most dis
tress from that very fact. Feeling good is no
sign of safety. When God begins to distress
then made an exhortation to the brethren to
labor in the field for the conversion of others to
the truth.
In the afternoon Elder George B. Starr
preached on the Importance of individual char
scter in the sight of God, founding his discourse
IN III Tim. H. 20 to %, and Ezekiel xiv, II to 90
He said that for eternal salvation the develop
nent OF righteous character essential.
No man could be served without faith in Christ,
without repentance for his sins, or without con-
version; but faith was essential, because with
,ut it man could form character which was |
to God Faith does not consist |
merely in protestarion. There are" he said, |
when. in fact. they have nothing but presump- |
ion. James says: Show me thy faith without |
ny works, and 1 will show thee my faith |
appear before the Lord. and will De COM |
handed. Show me thy faith They will say
Lord have we not prophesed in thy name. and
le will answer, 'Ah yes, heard you talking. |
Tut never knew you. Show thy faith
What is religion for il it makes no change IN our
ivesl Some say Christ came to save us, but |
% not think So and you will agree with me- If
hat were all, the Univsrsalian doctrine is the
est, for if God is omnipotent and wants to
Is he will do il. Christ came to save us from
ur sins, and give us grace to obey the law, and
Id us to form characters that will please God
nd honor Him. It could be neither pleasure
or honor to God to admit into His presence a
haracter totally at variance with His law. It
not enough to begin well. Paul says. For we |
re made partakers of Christ. il we hold the be-
inning or our confidence steadfaSt unto the end.'
rod helps you in forming your character by try
ng you and thus strengthening your weak
oints You must subdue and bring into har-
1ony the natural man: Take temper, for
xampe. 1t is good thing in it's place, but it
not good thing in your fist or on the end of
our tongue. The place You need it is along
our spinal column Then it becomes courage,
nd enables you to bear up in time of trial.
lany Christians start out very Jealous. Moses
tarted that way. When he was called he
'anted to commence at once and when he saw
he Egyptian struggling with the Israeite he
I'll upon him and slsw him. What did the Lord
o with himl He sent him out to be
shepherd for forty years. That was the kind
training he needed. When hog or a mule
a cow runs away. the owner is very apt to
eat it when he catches it, but who ever heard
man beating n sheep2 When he gets it. al
Tough it may have led MIN a wearisome chase |
it's fright, it looks innocent that he lust
lcks it up and carries it back to the fold Men
ave to be treated in much the same way and |
tier Moses had forty years of nstruc-
on in patience no considered fit
,r his task Character not devsoped |